The present invention provides both method and apparatus for overcoming some sleep related problems, and more particularly, to solving the problem of how a person can avoid sleeping in an improper position. As evidenced by the references listed in the accompanying "Prior Art Statement", other methods and apparatus have been discovered and are available for dealing with the subject of body position during sleep, and reference is made to those patents for further background of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,525 describes apnea, a medical illness, in which people periodically stop breathing while sleeping; and defines apnea as a period of 10 seconds or greater duration of no respiration. The patent further points out that a person afflicted with apnea may be awakened several hundred times each night, while remaining unaware of their problem, and that episodes of repeated sleep apnea may take up practically the entire night.
The prior art indicates that a person suffering from sleep apnea may be in danger when inadvertently sleeping on his back because back sleepers are more prone to stop breathing. It would therefore be desirable to have made available a new and dependable method and apparatus for training a person to sleep in a position other than on his back, thereby eliminating many of the problems associated with sleep apnea.
Snoring is also considered a sleep problem, and aggravated cases of snoring can disrupt the sleep of both the sufferer as well as nearby persons. Snoring is a hindrance to good health due to restricted breathing and usually is associated with improper sleeping posture.
Special clinics are available for treatment of those suffering from sleep apnea; however, treatment may require an extended time spent under the care of expensive professionals and therefore the cost may be prohibitive to many.
Prior to the present invention, apparatus for teaching a person to sleep on his side rather than his back has been far too expensive and complex for the average person. Apparatus and method by which improper sleeping posture is avoided, and especially sleeping on the back is discouraged, is the subject of the present invention.